The voice is a unique feature of a person, which makes it possible to communicate and live fully. However, hardly any of us in everyday life think about the importance of having a voice. This awareness comes only at the moment when problems with the voice appear or its complete loss. This process is called aphonia in medicine. There are many reasons for the occurrence of aphonia. Moreover, these can be completely unexpected processes, which at first glance are completely unrelated to the operation of the vocal apparatus. So, sore throat, lost voice - what to do? The main recommendation is immediate diagnosis in an ENT clinic. In this article we will look at the main examination methods for diseases of the vocal apparatus and methods of treating these problems.
Causes of the condition
A person makes sounds using the air that passes through the vocal cords. These are folds of the mucous membrane and muscles with which you can close them into a gap. The ligaments vibrate, resulting in speech or singing.
When the ligaments become inflamed, they swell, which is why they cannot fully form a gap. As a result, the voice becomes hoarse or disappears completely.
Fatigue and overstrain of the ligaments also leads to voice problems. They turn red, pain occurs, and it becomes difficult to speak. Increased dryness in the throat prevents the cords from vibrating, causing the sound to become hoarse.
If there are tumors on the ligaments, the voice changes. This occurs due to incomplete closure of the folds into the gap, due to which the passage of air causes not a melodic sound, but wheezing.
Self-medication
Self-medication often leads to complications that may require surgery. Traditional medicine can only complement therapy aimed at suppressing the parasite. Along with this, the patient is prescribed a diet. It consists of eliminating foods from the diet that irritate the mucous membrane. This list can include all salty, peppery and spicy dishes that are served hot.
You can restore your voice in the absence of an inflammatory process on your own. Plant extracts that have a sedative effect (valerian solution or motherwort decoction) will help relieve nervous tension.
In case of vocal cord dysfunction, for example, after a football match, their rehabilitation will be facilitated by raspberry or blackberry juice and eggnog with the addition of a tablespoon of cognac. After taking them, it is recommended to remain silent so as not to strain the ligaments. Speaking in a whisper is not recommended, as this puts additional stress on the muscles of the larynx, which can only worsen the situation. If talking cannot be completely avoided, you should speak more slowly than usual. All words must be pronounced clearly.
Possible diseases
In a healthy person, the ligaments can become tired if you talk too much. In this case, vocal peace will help you recover. But sometimes hoarseness occurs due to various diseases.
Pathologies in which there is hoarseness:
- laryngitis;
- ARVI;
- papillomas on the vocal cords;
- tuberculosis;
- neoplasms in the area of the vocal cords.
To find out what a person is sick with, you need to see a general practitioner for an initial consultation.
Treatments for hoarse voice in infants
In infants, the voice may become hoarse due to infection or prolonged crying. It is extremely undesirable to treat the infection on your own, since while it is not difficult to cope with an ordinary virus, then with diphtheria, in which the voice also changes, you cannot do without a doctor. The doctor will prescribe remedies for treating a hoarse voice in an infant.
Be prepared that it will not be possible to quickly restore a hoarse voice. With any form of the disease, it will take several days until it begins to return, and at first the voice will be rattling and then return to normal timbre.
The cause of a hoarse voice without signs of a cold should be determined by a doctor. Cancer or hormonal disorders cannot be easily detected, and the consequences can be extremely serious.
Related services: Consultation with a pediatric ENT specialist
Diagnostics
It is not difficult to determine that an adult has a hoarse voice due to a cold or other condition. But it is not always possible to find out the reason for this on your own. The doctor looks at the throat and sees changes in it that an ordinary person would not notice through a mirror. If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, the patient is referred to an otolaryngologist or phoniatrist - a specialist in the voice apparatus.
The examination includes:
- general blood test - reveals the viral or bacterial nature of the disease;
- laryngoscopy - detailed examination of the ligaments using a laryngoscope;
- X-ray of the chest organs - if tuberculosis infection is suspected.
The patient goes to the doctor with the results of diagnostic procedures; you should not try to decipher them yourself. The specialist will select treatment and give recommendations on how to quickly restore your voice.
Read also: Why does a runny nose not go away?
Who to contact?
Diagnosis and therapy of the vocal apparatus is carried out by a doctor - an otorhinolaryngologist or an ENT doctor with a narrower focus - a phoniatrist, whose specialty is directly the pathology of the vocal cords.
There is no need to self-medicate and try to regain the ability to speak independently without visiting an ENT doctor, given the variety of causes that cause aphonia.
Only an ENT doctor can correctly determine what triggered the unpleasant symptom and effectively restore the lost voice.
At the initial appointment, the ENT doctor interviews the patient regarding complaints. If aphonia is caused by infectious diseases, the patient may experience other symptoms: sore throat, problems with swallowing, high fever, aching joints, etc. Then a direct examination of the larynx is performed - laryngoscopy. The patient may be referred to undergo laboratory blood tests, which will help confirm the course of the inflammatory process in the body. If neoplasms are detected, additional studies may be required - ultrasound, CT, biopsy.
Only after establishing the cause of aphonia, the ENT doctor determines a treatment regimen that will help restore the ability to speak.
Treatment
In case of hoarseness, vocal rest is required. You can't talk at all, especially in a whisper. Such speech strains the ligaments more than trying to speak loudly.
Recommendations for voice restoration:
- Drink plenty of warm drinks to moisturize the ligaments and remove toxins released by the cold pathogen.
- Herbal infusions - chamomile and thyme help reduce inflammation, and ginger tea relieves hoarseness.
- Humidifying the air prevents the ligaments from drying out, which speeds up the return to normal voice.
If hoarseness appears against the background of an acute respiratory viral infection, you can use drugs for symptomatic treatment. They will help you recover faster and regain the ability to speak normally.
Medicines:
- Antibiotics are necessary for acute laryngitis and high temperature from 38.5°C for longer than 3-5 days, as well as for tuberculosis infection.
- Anti-inflammatory sprays - Hexoral, Cameton and others reduce the severity of inflammation.
- Lozenges for resorption - Falimint, Strepsils and the like have an enveloping effect on the ligaments, relieving pain.
If you follow all the recommendations and follow the prescribed treatment, your voice can be restored in 3-4 days. Other remedies - cognac, raw eggs or hot beer - give a quick but temporary effect. It will last for an hour or two, after which the cords will feel even worse, and the voice may disappear completely.
Dear patients! Remember that only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, determine the causes and nature of the disease, and prescribe effective treatment. You can make an appointment with our specialists or call a doctor at home by calling 8-(4822)-33-00-33
Be healthy and happy!
Is voice loss a symptom of an allergy or a viral infection?
05.10.2021
Loss of voice, or aphonia , is a symptom indicating a disorder in the vocal cords responsible for producing sounds . Aphonia often occurs with viral infections and allergies, but can also be a symptom of metabolic diseases and hormonal disorders. If voice loss persists for more than two weeks, you should contact an ENT specialist.
Loss of voice as a symptom of a viral infection
Loss of voice is one of the common symptoms of diseases of the middle respiratory system - inflammation of the larynx, trachea and others. A change in timbre or absence of sound is a consequence of improper functioning of the vocal cords lying between the upper and lower sections of the respiratory system.
It is a symptom of viral infections, most often caused by the parainfluenza virus , which primarily affects children during the fall season. Acute laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis are manifested by high fever, barking cough, shortness of breath, hoarseness, and then aphonia and increased shortness of breath when exhaling. Another pathogen that causes laryngitis and associated muteness is RSV viruses . When infected with this etiology, ailments from the upper respiratory tract, and not the lower ones, are of concern. In addition, aphonia can occur as a result of infection of the glottis with coronavirus , adeno- and rhinoviruses, as well as the Coxsackie measles virus. Laryngitis is very rarely of bacterial origin, but it is possible - it is caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and in the case of secondary infections - by bacteria from the streptococcus family - Streptococcus.
Self-limiting viral infections are difficult to treat. In modern medicine and pharmacy there are no drugs that would effectively defeat these pathogenic microbes, as is the case with the treatment of bacterial infections. Although there is no known drug that causes the disease, there are various types of pharmaceutical drugs that can alleviate the disease and sometimes even shorten its duration. Among them, glucocorticosteroids occupy an important place. Therapy also uses nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen or benzydamine, and lozenges with propolis or other natural ingredients that moisturize the throat to restore the voice lost due to the disease.
Allergy noise
pharyngeal mucosa is no less important for allergic diseases, which can also cause loss of voice. This happens when, under the influence of allergens swelling appear in the larynx area - the body’s protective reactions. A swollen larynx impairs the function of the vocal cords, which are located in the very center of this organ. Allergic voice loss can be the result of allergies to foods (eggs, nuts, citrus fruits), inhalants (pollen, animal dander, house dust mites, mold) and be a side effect of certain medications.
Is aphonia a symptom of an allergy or a viral infection?
Although it is not easy to distinguish, since in both cases very similar symptoms are observed, in general, with viral infections, systemic symptoms appear (fever, chills, muscle pain, migraine, rhinitis, cough, aphonia, etc.), while with allergies, the symptoms rather local (rhinitis and lacrimation, cough and aphonia, rash and itching). Another sign may be the duration of the illness. Colds typically last about a week, while allergies last longer.
Other causes of voice loss
Viral infections and allergies are just two of the many causes of voice loss. Mention should also be made here of aphonia, which is part of the occupational disease of teachers, educators, actors, lawyers and everyone else whose working instrument is their own voice. Silence can be the result of overload of the vocal organ, as well as working with the voice in inappropriate hygienic conditions. Another, no less common cause of voice loss is mental problems. Trauma and severe chronic stress can manifest themselves in different ways, including making it impossible to speak.
Similarly, depression , anxiety disorders, and personality changes cause the larynx to sag, resulting in an inability to produce sounds . A decrease in voice occurs with metabolic and endocrine diseases. This may be a symptom of cancer , as well as other benign changes. Finally, it should be emphasized that all diseases that cause changes in the vocal apparatus are so dangerous that they carry the risk of airway obstruction, which is a real threat to life. Therefore, if you lose your voice, you should always consult a doctor . Especially when aphonia (or at least a change in voice timbre) lasts more than two weeks.
Published in Allergology Premium Clinic
Immunostimulants in the treatment of chronic laryngitis
During treatment, agents that activate the immune system are often used.
IRS® is a drug from the group of immunostimulants, containing bacterial lysates of the main pathogens of diseases of the upper respiratory tract. It is used in the complex treatment of chronic laryngitis, strengthening local immunity and increasing resistance to infections. IRS® is produced in the form of an aerosol, which makes the use of the medicine convenient even for children from three months5.
Once on the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, IRS® helps destroy pathogenic microflora, strengthening defense mechanisms, directing the immune system to fight infectious agents. With the help of IRS® it is possible to reduce the number of colds and reduce the likelihood of complications. The immunostimulant helps stop the inflammatory process and prolong remission for a longer period6.
